A&E at Birmingham's City Hospital closes to children because of rising covid admissions from 'high numbers of adults'

Ambulance crews transport patients into City Hospital in Birmingham. The West Midlands has several areas in the top 10 highest-growing coronavirus numbers.
City Hospital in Birmingham is dealing with a "high numbers" of hospital admissions from people with coronavirus Credit: PA

City Hospital in Birmingham will be temporarily moving its 999 requests for under 16s to Birmingham Children's Hospital, as the pandemic continues to put stresses on its services.

From tonight (15 January), Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust will take children who need emergency care directly to the Children's Hospital in Birmingham city centre.

Coronavirus cases in Sandwell and Birmingham are some of the highest in the West Midlands, with 960.9 and 781.9 cases per 100,00 respectively. Hospital admissions continue to soar across the region and are higher than in the first wave, according to official data.

In a statement, the Trust says the high numbers of adults being admitted to the hospital is behind the move.

The news comes as Birmingham's QE Hospital cancels kidney transplants and patient waiting list because of their "critical" covid situation.